Improvement in thill-couplings



WILLIAM e. FOSTER. Improvement in Th.il| Couplings.

N0. 123 881, Patented Feb. 20, 1872.

UNITED STATES AENT OFFICE.

IMPROVEMENT IN THlLL-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 123,881, dated February 20, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM G. FosTER, of Dan sville, in the county of Livin gston and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carriage-Shackles 5 and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making a part of this specification, in which Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section of my device on the line as 00 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section of the same on the line y y of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front elevation and avertical central section of the covering-cap. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the bar to or upon which said cap is pivoted. Fig. 5 is afront elevation of the locking-bolt; and Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the entire device.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

The object of my invention is the production of a shaft-coupling which shall be readily detachable without the removal of screws or bolts, and which shall have the movement of its parts so restricted by means of elastic pressure as to prevent rattling; and to this end it consists, principally, in the means employed for securing the shackle-eye in position within its housing, substantially as and for the purpose herein after specified. It consists, further, in the means employed for locking the covering-cap to or in position, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter shown. It consists, finally, in the means employed for preventing the different portions of the device from rattling, substantially as is hereinafter set forth.

In the annexed drawing, A represents the shackle portion of the device, the upper side and front end of which is provided with a semi-cylindrical cavity, B, partially inclosed upon its upper side by means of two inwardprojectin g flanges, b, said cavity serving to containastrip of rubber, O, which corresponds inlength to the width of the shackle, and in width to the dis tance upon or around the circle of said recess between said flanges, the latter of which receive the edges of saidrubber and hold the same in place. It will be seen that, as thus constructed and combined, the shackle and rubber form a semicircular socket or hearing open at its upper side, which corresponds to and receives the cylindrical pivotal end D of the shackle-eye E, said opening within the upper side of said bearing having just the necessary width to permit the entrance therein of said end D. In order that the shackle-eye maybe locked within its bearing the upper side and ends of the shackle are inclosed by means of a cap, shown in Fig. 3, which consists of two vertical plates, F, which correspond in size and general shape to the same features of the ends of said shackle, and are connected together at their upper ends by means of a cross-bar, G, that has a width equal to the space between the rear side of said shackle-eye and the corresponding side of the forward flange b, which flange has an elevation above the corresponding rear flange b about equal to the thickness of said crossbar. A notch, g, corresponding in width to the width of the neck of the shackle, extends rearward from the front edge of the bar G, and permits said neck to move freely as said shackle-eye is turned upon its axial bearin The cap thus constructed is pivoted at its lower ends to or upon the corresponding portions of the shackle, so as to be capable of having its upper end brought over the opening in the corresponding eud of said shackle and inclose the same, or, when desired, turned rearward, so as to uncover said opening and permit the removal therefrom of the shackle-eye. By so adapting the thickness of the rubber as to cause the pivoted end 1) of the shackle-eye to bear firmly against the lower side of the bar G, and by slightly concaving the portion of the latter contiguous to said end D, the upward spring of said rubber will not only prevent all rattling between said parts, but also will cause said cap to retain its position, except when forced rearward, in which event said pivotal end and rubber will be pressed downward sufliciently to permit the lower front edge of said bar G to pass over and be released from engagement with said end D. As, however, the elasticity of the rubber might become so much impaired by age or use as to prevent the complete ac tion of parts above described, the hereinafternamed means are employed for loekingin place and for readily releasing the cap. Within the lower edge of the shackle is provided a vertical recess, B, having parallel sides, within which is placed a corresponding bar, H, that has a sufficient size to enable it to move with freedom, vertically, within said recess.

The sides F of the cap are pivoted to or upon the ends of the bar H, so that, while the radial motion of said cap is not changed, the latter is permitted to move vertically until said bar strikes against theupper side of its recess. Within the upper side of the recess B is secured a short inclined plane, I, having a length equal to about onehalf the length of the same, which plane furnishes a bearing for a wedge-shaped bolt, K, that slides freely in a longitudinal direction Within said recess, the horizontal face of said bolt bearin g upon or against the bar H, while its inclined face bears against the corresponding face of said inclined plane, so that, when the former is moved forward longitudinally, said bar H and the cap will be pressed downward withrelation to the shackle. A stud, 70, extendin g horizontally outward from the rear or thick end of the bolt, receives and sustains a spiral spring, L, which bears, at its ends, against one side F of the cap, and against the rear end of said bolt and presses the latter forward, so as to cause an elastic downward pressure to be exerted upon said cap, except when said bolt is retracted, to render practical which operation a stud, 70, passes downward through an opening, h, in the bar H. If, now, the bolt K be pressed rearward the cap will be loosened, so as to permit it to be raised sufficient] y to release its upper end from engagement with the shackle-eye, after which said cap may be turned rearward and saidshackle-eye removed.

The advantages obtained by this construction of a carriage-shackle are, that it enables the shafts to be readily connected to or removed from the carriage, and that when in use all rattling of th e parts of said device is prevented.

Having thus fully set forth the nature and merits ofmy invention, what I claim as new is 1. In combination with the shackle A, provided with the open cavity B, and with the shackleeye E, provided with the pivotal end D, the cap F and G, constructed as shown, and pivoted to or upon said shackle, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In combination with the cap F G, pivoted to or upon the bar H, the inclined plane I and the wedge-shaped bolt K, substantially as and for the purpose shown.

3. In combination with the shackle A the shackle-eye D E and the cap F G, the rubber strip 0, the inclined plane I, and the bolt K, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 23d day of January, 1872.

W. G. FOSTER. Witnesses:

J AMES FAULKNER, Jr., JNo. O. WILLIAMS, Jr. 

